Conservatory Salesman price!

bumblesquat

I've just stumbled across this post so it's probably a bit late to help now but here goes in case it does:

1st point - NEVER trust any company that gives you a price and then drops it by a massive amount. Particularly when they have to ring their boss to get authorisation. You'll never know how much the job should really have cost, they're just hoping you'll think you've been given a massive discount and you'll bite their hand off. Unbelievably it actually works, often.

2nd point - Unless you are VERY confident at DIY and are also confident that you can sort out any problems at a later date, such as leaking roofs or sticking doors etc, I wouldn't recommend putting it up yourself as you don't have a guarantee. You'll have a manufacturers guarantee but that's worthless as the company will likely say that you damaged it when you installed it and how can you prove you didn't. Also, if the same company can do all the base work and the conservatory together at least your guarantee's all in 1 place. If you get a brickie to do the base then a conservatory company to put the top on and the base moves you'll have lost your conservatory guarantee because they'll say the frames have been distorted by the brickwork and it's not their problem and getting a brickie back to sort dodgy brickwork, in my experience, is a nightmare.

Finally - I would always suggest contacting 3 local companies who have been in business for at least a few years. Visit their showrooms to see the PVC profiles they use (they vary greatly) and when you know they all offer a similar product ask them to visit you at home to quote and make sure they all quote for the same thing. If your looking for special tinted glass etc ask for the extra over price rather than all in so you can compare. I'd also suggest that when you invite them round you tell them then that you're getting a few quotes so your not interested in the hard sell, you just want their price.

That may seem like hard work but when your spending £1000's it's got to be worth it.

Hope this helps someone.

Barneysmom

Totally agree with you bumblesquat, I got mine, smaller than op at 3.3m x 2.3m, for 3k inc electrics - light and 2 sockets. Anglian seems mega expensive.

tarajayne

We haven't rushed and are not going with any of the hard sell guys. We have decided on a local family firm and are going to get a local builder for the base. Other half could do it but is too busy at work and we do want the guarantee. Thanks to everyone for their help.

mandragora_2

Good for you - we'll be treading the same path later this year!!

Alan_Howard

ormus wrote: »

any half decent diy man should be able to erect a conservatory. a few mates to help and a nice sunny weekend will do it.
get some beer!

Hi guys,

I have just discovered this website, it really is amazing and I hope somebody can take a couple of minutes to help me out. My mother recently purchased a conservatory from StormSeal. When the contract was being signed she requested that the vent from the cooker in the kitchen (which now enters the conservatory) be dealt with using some sort of exit out of the conservatory for example through the roof. She was assured on numerous occassions that this would be done, however it appears that they did not actually write this down on the contract. She was repeatedly given assurances throughout the building process, which is now complete, but each worker said he was only responsible for his own job and in the end nobody dealt with it. In the end, we spoke to the last builder about it - he looked at it and said it should be quite straight forward to do. He began working on it, only to be called by the company and told to stop work, presumably because they didnt want to pay for it. I have been trying to call the company for the last 3 weeks now, leaving messages every other day. This person has still not called me back. Finally, I was informed by a secretary last week that I would have to pay for the work. I was wondering if I have any rights here? As a side point, in the contract it says that the consevatory should have 3 steps but it was only built with two, is there any way I could use this point as leverage in the matter? Thank you very much.